The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-05
FARM NOTES.

Damp sheep-yards and Doggy pastures are
fruitful causes Of liver rot, fiuke and foot
rot.
The colder the climate in which sheep
prosper, the finer texture and better quality
the wool.
Never set trees in sod, or among wheat or
other sOWed grain. Glover is the worst OF
all. The whole surface of the ground should
be clean and well stirred.
A tract of land on the shore of Cayuga
Lake, near Canoga, n. Y, has been leased TO
Rochester parties for the raising of frogs for
the New York market.
Lime is a purifier, and should be used
often as wash 70 coops, perches and nest
boxes. Sprinkle the places most frequented
by fowls with air-slaked lime.
Crows distribute many tree seeds, such as
acorns and nuts, by plucklng them and car
ryiDg them away, dropping them again at
some distance from the place of starting.
Carelessness must give way to business
management on the farm. The farmer
should study the markets and be as ready to
take advantage OF opportunities as the mer-
chant.
Poultry-keepipg can be made an auxiliary
to other pursuits without infringing upon
the time of the keeper, and will bring in a
handsome return for the food and care given
the fowls
There is no reason why the wire fences OF
poult1y-yaTds and around the fields should
not be used for grape-vines. Quite a large
amount of such fruit could thus be ecOnom-
ically grown, and the fences would not be
injured in so doing.
OF the varieties of ducks the Pekins stand
confinement the best bat they are not as
tame as the common kinds. They grow very
large, often reaching eight or nine pounds
each, and yield feathers of a white color and
equal to those of the goose.
Ducks should be allowed as much liberty
as possible, as they are not partial to con-
tinement like chickens When they are
kept in the poultry-yard with hens they be-
come quarrelsome, and do more damage
than they are worth, and for that reason
should be kept separate.
The productiveness of the vineyard can be
greatly increased by the use of chemical
fertilizers which supply all the needed re-
quirements. Stable manure often causes ex-
cessive growth of wood without correspond
ing production of fruit, while mildew and
rust are not so prevalent where artificial
fertilizers are used as with stable manure.
Permanent pastures are looked upon by
Professor Arnold as a stumbling block in
the way of progressive dairyiDg and a thing
TO be avoided except under peculiar circum-
stances. He tells the Farmers Advocate
that permanent pastures and meadows are
great III the eyes VI lazy anu
dull men, and perhaps are as well suited to
their capacity as anything.
A contemporary says: ITO cure dogs of
killing chickens take chicken that has been
killed, and after beating the dog with it pass
the legs each side of the dogs neck and tie
the feet together. After carrying theschicken
around for day or two the dog will be 20
thoroughly diseusted that he will not trouble
chickens sgain."
daily. Allow her to roll in dust-bOX lie II
by. Give her food and drink regularly. Ia
cold weather see that she goes back before
the eggs chill. Cover her sitting-bOx with
coarse bageiDg, if she seems inclined to give
up her work Mix little powdered charcoal
with the soft feed, and it will assist digestion
and prevent disease.
The time to pick duck feathers, like fruit.
is when they are ripe. This may be learned
by catching two or three and pulling a few
feathers here and there. If they pull hard,
and the quilts are filed with bloody fluid,
they are not ripe; but if they pull easy, and
the quilts are clear. you may know it is the
"best time to pick" Ducks may be picked
four times year. Never pick the long tufts
of coarse feathers on the sides that support
the wings.
The benefit which fowls derive from eating
charcoal is acknowledged. The method OF
understood. Pounded charcoal is not in the
shape in which fowls usually find their food,
and consequently is not very enticing to
them. Corn burnt on the cob, and the ref
use, which consists almost entirely of the
grams reduced to charcoal and still retain
ing their,peTfecfshape if placed before them.
is greedily eaten by them.
0wiDgt the high price of phosphate, most
farmers who use il mix it with something
cheaper to make small quantity go further
and distribute evenly in the drill. Wood
ashes, says the Scientific American, are
among the best substances for the purpose.
They neutralize the excess of acid which
makes phosphate moist and sticky. They
scour ard make bright the bottom of the
fertilizer box, provided they are used dry.
But whenever ashes are used the drill must
be cleansed thoroughly every night, as they
draw moisture and cause iron to rust.